Suspension clamp



April 21, 1931.

F. H. MILLER SUSPENSION CLAMP 5 She ets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1928 30 INVENTOR Frederic-l'lMillen ATTORNEY April 21, 1931. F. H. MILLER SUSPENSION CLAMP Filed Jan. 25, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet '3 A g i 7 Y mw V lla/I171 r/IJ Will/49114.2

I IIIINVENTOR Frederic |'1.Mil It ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 21, 1931' UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE FREDERIC H. MILLER, OF WILKINSIBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ZPENNSYL- VANIA SUSPENSION CLAMP Application filed January 25, 1928. Serial No. 249,250.

My invention relates to conductor-supporting devices and particularly to clamps for suspending high-voltage transmission lines.

One object of my invention is to provide a transmission-line clamp that shall be simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture and effective in its operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a conductor support that shall prevent the imposition of vibration forces, caused by oscillations of the conductor, on the clamp and on the adjacent insulator and tower parts with which it is associated.

Another object of my inventlon is to provide means for normally securely holding a line conductor that shall release the conductor therefrom in response to predetermined movement of the conductor.

Another object of my invention is to pro-vv tion of support may readily be determined for resupporting the conductor relative to said position.

A further objectpf my invention is to provide a conductor support that shall nortion and release the same in response to predetermined movement thereof.

With such objects in view, as well as other advantages which may be incident to the utilization of the improvement, the invention consists in the parts and combinations "thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportion and arreleased from a support therefor, the posi-- mally positively lock the conductor inpOSi-.

rangement without departing from the nature and scope of the invention.

In high-voltage transmission-line practice, it has heretofore been suggested, in a suspension clamp embodying relatively movable clamping and suspension elements, to have the relative movement occur about an axis in the conductor, whereby vibrational stresses, caused by oscillation of the conductor, are precluded from imposition on the suspension element and on the adjacent insulator and tower parts with which the clamp is associated. 1

. Such a clamp is known as a center-trunnion clamp because the conductor-receiving channel member has trunnions projecting oppositely from its sides, adjacent to the center of the conductor, for pivotal attachment to the free ends of a suspension yoke.

This center-trunnion clamp permits movement of the conductor in only one plane relative to the suspension element, and also presents some difficulty of manufacture in providing the trunnions in the positions above mentioned.

Another clam-p, which permits substantially universal movement of the clamping members relative to the suspension element, has also been suggested, but this clamp also has features of construction, such as a small ball bearing and other elements, which are relatively diflicult and expensive to manufacture, compared to the present invention.

A clamp of still another kind, known as a release clamp, has also been suggested and embodies the feature whereby the conductor is normally securely held but is released when the conductor breaks between its supporting towers. While such a clamp securely holds the conductor under normal operating conditions, it does not ositively lock the conductor by means free fi om wear over long periods of time, as in my invention hereinafter set forth.

An ordinary clamp, of the type embodying U-bolts or J-bolts for permanently holding the conductor, may, however, release the conductor, if it is defective or its parts work loose. In any event, where the conductor is released, there is ordinarily no ready means for quickly determining from a distance where the conductor had formerly been attached to, or mounted in, the clamp, and the conductor must be adjusted for reclamping, as in the initial installation thereof.

It is my aim to overcome all of the abovementioned difliculties and objections pertaining to conductor supports, and, also to provide features whereby a clamp may be constructed to operate solely as a centertrunnion clamp, a universally movable clamp or a release clamp, as above set forth, or to include these features in any combination in a single structure.

Accordingly, in practicing my invention, I provide a novel means for so mountingfthe conductor to move relative to the suspension means, either in a single plane, or substantially universally about a point in the conductor and a suspension structure to so cooperate therewith, as to permit the mounting means to be permanently. or releasably re,- lated to the suspension, structure. The'structure also provides for resilient, or rigid latching, holding relation between the mounting means and the suspension structure and for determining, after release,the position at which the conductor was formerly supported.

Figure 1, of the accompanying drawings, is a side view, partially in elevation and partially in section of a suspension clamp embodying certain features of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1, V

' Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken along the line IIIIII of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a modified form of clamp embodying my invention, an upper portion being broken away,

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view f the structure shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, taken along the line VIVI of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view, taken along the line VII-VII 'of Fig. 5,

Fig. 8 is a side sectional View of the device shown in Fig. 5, taken along the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 6,

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of another form of my invention, showing the clamp of Fig. 6, in its relation to the conductor and to elements on the conductor at a distance from the clamp, to be hereinafter set forth,

Fig. 10 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section, of a further form of my invention,

Fig. 11 is a sectional view, taken along the line XI-XI of Fig. 10, and

Fig. 12 is a sectional view, taken along the line XII-XII of Fig. 10.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the device comprises, in general, a lower conductorreceiving or clamping channel member 2 for the reception of a conductor 3 an upper clamping shoe or member 4, U- olts 6 for securing the members 2 and '4 to each other and'clamping them against the conductor 3, and an element comprising parts 8 and 9 for suspending the clamping members 2 and 4.

The channel member 2 comprises flared end portions 10, vertically-apertured side bosses 12 for the" reception'of the U-bolts 6 and a substantially spheroidal central body portion 14 which, since'it may be employed without the portions projectin therefrom along the conductor and may a so be made up of portions of both the members 2 and 4, as will hereinafter appear, may be considered substantially as an enlargement of the conductor 3 for the purposes for which it is intended. v

The shoe member 4 is of a usual elongatedrod form having an under surface 15 substantially conforming to the surface of the conductor 3, flared end portions 16 and saddle portions 17 on which the closed-ends of the .U-bolts 6 are seated.

The U-bolts 6 are held in position by lock; washers 19 and nuts 20.

The suspension-element part 8 comprises an upper socket 21, or other suitable structure, for attachment to the pin of the lower unit of a series-string suspension insulator, a half-ring-like ortion 22 having a spheroidal inner sur ace adjacent, and substantially conforming to, a portion of the outer surface of the enlargement 14, an apertured lower portion 23 for the reception of a bolt an overhangin lip 26, between the socket portion 21 and t e half-ring portion.

The suspension-element part 9similarly comprises a half-ring-like ortion 28 having a spheroidal i'nner sur ace closely embracing the enlargement 14, an upper projection 29 to be held in position by the lip 26 and a cooperating apertured lower portion 30, opposite the portion 23, through which the bolt 25 extends and is held in position by a lock washer 31 and a nut 32.

In the above described structure, the spheroidal surfaces mentioned are preferably struck about a point on the longitudinal axis of the conductor 3, or as closely adjacent thereto as may reasonably result from the inherent yieldability of the parts, when clamping pressure is exerted or when conductors of different diameters are employed.

These surfaces are also preferably galvanized, or otherwise treated, to permit them to slide readily on one another irrespective of weather effects and, since the half-ring-like portions 8 and-9 are of suflicient width, as viewed in Fig. 1, to embrace the spheroidal enlargement 14 at all sides of its center, the clamping members 2 and 4 cannot withdraw from the suspension-element parts 8 and 9, unless the bolt 25 is removed.

Thus, the clamping members 2 and 4, together with the conductor 3, may move, as a unit, in substantially all directions about a point in the conductor, so that both longitudinal-oscillating, and torsional, stresses are precluded from transmission to the suspension element and to the insulator and adjacent tower parts, and an effective clamp, similar to an ordinary clamp, but operating similar to the above-mentioned center-trun -nion clamp is simply and economically provided. H

Referring to Figs; 4 to 8, inclusive, the application of the above-described structure and principles to a clamp, of the abovementioned release type, is shown in this modification.

In this form of my invention, in which corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference characters, the halfring portions 22 and 28, instead of being vertically divided and permanently secured to each other by the bolt 25 and, the lip 26, are separated along ahorizontal plane, and hinged to each other, by hinge parts 35 and 36, respectively, and a pin 37, and are normally held in fixed relation to each other and to the enlargement 14, by a latch mechanism 39.

The channel member 2 and the shoe member 4 are also provided with longitudinal ribs 40 and 41, respectively, which extend laterally or outwardly a sufficient distance to prevent the ends of the bolts 6 and the I nuts 20 from catching .on the edges of the parts 22 and 28, when the latch 39 is released to permit the parts 2 and 4 to move away from the suspension element.

The latch mechanism 39 comprises an arm 40 that is pivoted, as by a pin 42, to

lugs 43 on the portion 28 and has a lower arm portion 38 and a bifurcated upper branch arm portion 44. The lower arm portion 43 carries a cup portion '45 in which is disposed a spring 46 that bears against the portion 28 and biases the arm 40 in the counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 6, toward its latching position. f

In the latching position illustrated, the arm 40 has a latch or shoulder portion 48 that engages a shoulder 49 on the member 22, and ends 50 of the branch arms 44 that are disposed adjacent to, and over, the central part of the shoe 4.

Under normal operating conditions, the ends 50 are sufliciently removed from any part of the shoe 4, or the member 2, to prevent engagement, by either of the latter,

throughout a certain degree of movement of these members relative to the suspension element. This feature permits the clamping members 2 and 4 to oscillate in response to ordinary line oscillations and to turn, relative to the suspension structure, in response to torsional movements of the conductor 3, as in the first-described structure of Figs. 1, 2 and 3. 1

If, however, in response to breaking of the conductor or other abnormal line conditions, the clamping members 2 and 4 move more than a certain distance, such as 30, relative to the suspension element, about the center of the enlargement 14, engagement of the shoe 4, or other part, with one of the ends 50, causes the arm 40 to pivot about the pin 42 against the action of the spring 46, whereby the shoulder 48 is released from the shoulder 49 to permit the half-ring portions 22- and 28, by reason of the weight of 1 the conductor and other parts, to separate.

This separation is suflicient to permit the clamping members 2 and 4 to withdraw, as a unit, along with. the conductor 3 from the portions 22 and 28, but, by reason of limited movement of the arm 40 and the presence of a second shoulder 52 on the part 22, the separation is limited.

When the shoulder 48 moves from the shoulder 49, it moves onto the shoulder 52, thus, preventing any great relative movement of the parts 22 and 28 and causing the suspension element to still surround any portion of the conductor that may not have withdrawn longitudinally therefrom and preventing the dropping of this conductor portion to the ground.

A release clamp of this type, a latch mechanism, I am aware and, referring to Fig. 9, its

embodying application and use in connection with a further extension of my invention are illustrated.

In the structure shown in Fig. 9, the clamp, as above described in connection with Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive, is attached to an insulator 54 and associated with elements 55 and 56 that are mounted on the conductor 3 at distances from the clamp.

The elements 55 and 56 are each in the form of half-spherical clamping members which may be permanently fixed to each other and to the conductor, as shown in connection with the element 55, as by bolts 57 or the half-spherical members may be connected, as shown in connection with the element 56, by longer bolts 59. and springs 60 to allow the element to slide along the conductor, when the latter is released-land one of the elements engages the clamp. By adjusting a nut 61, on the bolt 59, the element 56 may be regulated to slide more or less readily along the conductor.

Thus, when the conductor breaks beyond one of the elements 55 and 56 and is released by the clamp, this element will move up to the clamp which it cannot pass.

If the element is fixed to the conductor, further movement of the latter will stop is the only one of whichbut, if the element is only frictionally held in position by the spring 60, the conductor may slide through the element. Thus, various contingencies are provided for, depending upon the position of breakage, the weight of the conductor, the height of and the distance between towers and other features.

The elements 55 and 56, in their relation to the clamp, also, function as means for readily determining where the conductor should be again clamped, after it has broken and slipped, as above described, and when it has been repaired.

In all of the forms of my invention so far described, the spherical enlargement '14 has portions projecting therefrom along the conductor but, as shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, these projections may be omitted and the enlargement rendered similar to one of the elements 55 and 56 of'Fig. 10.

In Figs. 10, 11 and 12, which also serve as better illustrations of the elements 55 and 56, inasmuch as an element 62 thereof is constructed like the element 55, the enlargement 14 is constructed in halves 63 and 64 but is constructed as much like a true sphere as it may be with recesses 65 therein for the reception of bolts 66 and nuts 67.

The recesses 65 are provided so that the sphere halves 63 and 64 may be held together in fixed clamping relation to the con- 1 ductor 3 and still retain the general spherical outer contour of the composite structure, or enlargement 14.

In this form of my invention, the sphere or enlargement 14 is enclosed between upper and lower clamping members 69 and 7 0, re-

spectively, that are held together, through the medium of a yoke suspension element 71, links 72, a pin or bolt 73 and a spring 74.

The upper clamping element 69 comprises a mid-portion 76 having a spheroidal inner surface fitting the enlargement 14 and an upwardly-extending cam portion 77. It also embodies flared end portions 78 and has depending side In s 79 to assist in preventing longitudinal displacement of the element 69, when the clamp releases the enlargement, as will hereinafter appear.

The lower clamping element 70 similarly comprises a mid-portion 80 having a spheroidal inner surface fitting the enlargement 14, flared ends 82, transversely-apertured lower lugs 83 for the reception of the bolt 73 and shoulders 84, on the lugs 83, to prevent turning of the links 72 about the bolt 73.

The yoke suspension element 71, in addition to the socket 21, comprises a cylinder portion 86, in which the spring 74 is disposed, depending legsi87 and bearing portions 88, at the lower ends of the legs 87, in which trunnions 90 are disposed. The trunmons 90 also extend into the upper ends of the links 72 and are disposed in alignment, on an axis through the conductor 3.

A plunger 92, in the cylinder 86, has an upper cup portion 93 for the reception of the lower end of the spring 74, and depending lugs 94 between which a roller 95 is held in posltion, by a pin or shaft 96.

In operation, in response to normal line oscillations, the yoke 71 may move about the axes of the trunnions 90, relative to the parts suspended thereby, for a distance to the right-hand side and left-hand side, as viewed in Fig. 10, depending on the extent of the upper surface of the cam portion 77 to the sides of its normal central position.

When, by breaking of the conductor 3, or other cause, the yoke 71 moves farther than this distance, the roller 95 rides off the cam portion 77 to release the pressure of the spring 74 and to thereby, permit the clamping elements 69 and to separate a certain distance relative to each other.

This action permits the members 69 and" 70 to tilt to one side of the center of the clamp and the enlargement to pull out of its position in the clamp to release the conductor. The roller 95 remains within the outer limits of one of the flared ends 78 and one pair of the lugs 79 still remains in longitudinal locking relation to the lower clamping member 70.

Depending upon the force exerted bythe spring 74, the enlargement 14 may be held more or less rigidly, or be permitted to have some movement relative to the clamping members 69 and 70, whereby the universal movement, above described in connection with the other forms of my invention, may be obtained.

The invention, in the form shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, may also, be used to advantage in the system illustrated in Fig. 9, in which case there would then be three ball-like enlar ements on the conductor, any one of whlch might be employed in the clamp between the clamping members 69 and 7 0. My invention provides a wide selection and variety of installations and operations, ensures a clamp of economical manufacture and 1s an improvement, in general, in the field of service to which it relates.

I claim as my invention 1. In a cable-supporting device, means constituting substantially a knob for mounting ing a socket for movably supporting the ob therein and having portions opposing movement of the knob inboth directions along the cable.

- 3. In a cable-supporting device, means providing substantlally a knob for mounting on an intermediate portion of the cable and including cooperating elements for clamping the cable therebetween one of which has portions extending in opposite directions from the knob along the cable,

and a structure providing a socket for movably supporting the knob in the socket and having portions opposing movement thereof in both directions along the cable.

4. In a cable-supporting device, means providing substantially a knob for mounting on an intermediate portion of the cable and including cooperating elements for clamping the cable therebetween each of which has portions extending in opposite directions from the knob alongthe cable, means at opposite sides of said knob for clamping said elements, and a structure providing a socket for movably supporting said knob in the socket and having portions opposing movement thereof in both directions along the cable.

5. A conductor-suspension device comprising means providing substantially a knob-like structure including cooperating upper and lower elements for clamping the conductor therebetween, the lower element having flared outer-end conductor-receiving.

channel portions extending in opposite directions from the knob and the upper element having portions similarly extending over said channel portions, means at opposite sides of said knob for clamping said elements and suspension means providing a socket for movably supporting said knob in the socket and having portions opposing movement thereof in both directions along the conductor.

6. A cable-supporting device including means constituting substantially a knob for mounting on an intermediate portion of the cable and a socket portion for movably supporting the knob and having portions at opposite sides, and opposing displacement, thereof in both directions of the cable from the socket.

7. In a cable-supporting device, means constituting substantially a knob for mounting on an intermediate portion of the cable and having an outer bearing surface, and a and having a substantially spheroidal outer supporting the V bearing surface, and a socket portion having an inner cooperating substantially spheroidal bearing surface for substantially universally-relatively movably-supporting the knob, and portions at'opposite sides, opposing displacement, of the knob in both directions of the cable from the socket.

9. In a cable-supporting device, means constituting substantially a knob for mountin on an intermediate portion of the cable and means for supporting said means to move relative to the supporting means in accordance with normal movements of the cable and to be released from thesupporting means in response to predetermined abnormal movement of the cable including a socket for, and having portions at opposite sides of, the knob opposing release thereof in both directions of the cable from the socket.

10. A conductor-supporting device including a snap-latch device for normally latched supporting relation to the conduc-. tor at a predetermined position and means responsive to predetermined movement of the conductor for releasing the latch to release the conductor and permit it to move from said position.

11. In combination, a swingably mounted support, means including relatively movable members carried by said support for holding a conductor, and a snap-latch device for normally holding said members in relatively stationary holding relation for holdingvthe conductor and responsive to predetermined relative movement between the support and said members for actuating the latch to release said members to move relatively and to release the conductor.

12. A cable-sus ension device including a socket member or movably supporting a. knob on an intermediate portion of the cable and having portions for position at opposite sides of the knob and opposing displacement of the knob in both directions of the cable from the socket.-

13. A cable-suspension device including a socket member for substantially universally movably supporting a ball-like knob on an intermediate portion of the cable, the socket member having a rounded inner bearing surface for the knob and portions for positioning at opposite sides, and opposing displacement, of the knob in both directions of the cable from the socket. I

14. A cable-suspension device comprising means for clamping the cable including cable-clamping members for extension along the cable, means constituting substantially a knob-like enlargement of said clamping members intermediate the ends thereof and a socket member for movably supporting site sides, and opposing displacement, of the enlargement in both directions of the cable there rom.

15. A. cable-suspension device comprising means for supporting a knob on an intermediate portion of t e cable to move relative to the supporting means in accordance with normal movements of the cable and to be released from the supporting means in 4 response to predetermined abnormal movement of the conductor including a socket for, and having portions at opposite sides of, the

.knob opposing release thereof in both directions of the cable from the socket.

16. In combination, in a transmissionline device, means for normally supporting the line conductor in predetermined position, said supporting means being responsive to a predetermined movement of the conductor to release the conductor, thereby permitting it to slide longitudinally relative to said supporting means, and means on the conductor,

a predetermined distance from said supporting means for freely-separable, stopping engagement with said su porting means when said conductor has slid said predetermined distance, said means operating substantially independent of its weight.

17. In combination, in a transmimion-line device, means for normally supporting the line conductor in a predetermined position, said supporting means being responsive to a predetermined movement of said conductor to release the conductor, thereby permitting it to slide longitudinally relative to said supporting means, and means disposed on the conductor a predetermined distance from said supporting means for freely-separable engagement with said supporting means when said conductor has slid said predetermined distance, said last-named means operating substantially independently of its weight and coofiperating with said supporting means to 0 er resistance to further sliding of the conductor in the same direction, whereby longitudinal movement of the conductor through more than said predetermined distance meets withgreater resistance than a smaller'longitudinal movement.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th day of J anuary,v1928.

I FREDERIO H. MILLER. 

